Fuel-vaporizer for internal-combustion engines



G. A. BAKER. FUEL VAPORIZER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.23, I919.

Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

GEORGE AUSTIN BAKER, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FUEL-VAPORIZER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N 16 1920.

Application filed Uctober 23, 1919. Serial No. 332,633.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. BAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel-Vaporizers for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to secure an immediate flow of fuel gas to an internal combustion engine in cold weather by providing a structure which will operate to quickly vaporize the fuel so that the engine during its initial movement will be supplied with a rich mixture of gas.

Another object is to so construct my invention that water which ordinarily would collect in the bottom of the 'carbureter will flow or drip into the device of my invention so that if the latter is in operation it will vaporize the water with the fuel and it will not be necessary to draw off or drain the Water as is usually the custom.

Another object is to so construct my invention that it will vaporize fuel which is less volatile than gasolene. For example my invention will operate to vaporize kerosene or petrol and when such latter mentioned types of fuel are used, the vaporizing heat which is accomplished by means of electricity can be increased by means of a rheostat, for example by taking out resistance to the current so that suflicient heat is supplied to readily vaporize the fuel. Also the operation of the rheostat will control the speed of the engine by causing a greater or less amount of the fuel to be vaporized.

A further object is to make my IIIVSEII tion of a simple and durable construction and so that it can be attached to carburetors of various types.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which-' Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showlng my invention attached to a carburetor 1n an operative position for vaporizing the fuel leading to the intake man fold of an 111- ternal combustion engine; the electrical connection being illustrated diagrammatlcally, Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical representation illustrating how a rheostat can be included or petrol.

as a part of the electrical connection, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 4 represents a carburetor of a well known type which includes a hollow body portion or receptacle 5 providing a liquid fuel chamber 6, such for example as for holding gasolene, kerosene I provide said chamber with a spider 6' and a small upright tube 7 open at both ends; said tube being supported by the central portion of the spider 6 and having its top end above the level of the liquid fuel in the chamber 6 and its lower end positioned a slight distance above the bottom of the chamber 6 as shown in Fig. 1. The top end of the tube 7 leads into a passage 8 communicating with the intake manifold 9 of an internal combustion engine. A transverse branch 10 provides a passage 11 which communicates with the passage 8 and this passage 11 includes a butterfly valve 12 for controlling the entrance of air from the atmosphere into the passage 4 to mix with the fuel as it passes upwardly through the passage 8. The level of the fuel within the chamber 6 is controlled by means of a float 13 which is connected to a lever 14; said lever 14 being pivoted at 15 and having a needle valve 16 thereon for controlling an entrance of the fuel throu h the inlet passage 17. A pipe 18 leading from a fuel reservoir (not illustrated) su plies the liquid fuel to the passage 17. he parts thus described with the exception of the construction and arrangement of the tube 7 and spider 6 do not in themselves form a part of my present invention since they are of usual construction and operation.

The body portion 1 has a screw threaded hole 19 in its bottom and this hole is usually provided for the connection of a drain or pet-cock to permit the drainin of water which settles in the bottom of tiie chamber 6 and ordinarily this water must be drawn from the carbureter so that it will not pass in a body up the tube 7 instead of the fuel.

My invention also includes a container 20 which is connected by a screw threaded nipple 21 to the body portion 5 of the carbureter directly under or in vertical alinement with the lower end of the tube 7 said nipple being screwed into the hole 19. One

end of a coil of wire 22 is clamped between the bottom of the nipple 21 and a ledge 23 in the upper portion of the'container 20. The coil 22 extends through the space provided by the container 20'and the lower end of the coil is connected to a binding post 24; said binding post extending throughan insulating sleeve 25 and insulating washer 26' o as to be insulated from the body of the container 20; it being noted that the latter 7 is made of metal.

Unepol'e of abattery 27, or other suitable generator of electricity is connected by a wire 28 to the body of the container 20 while th otherzpole of saidgenerator is connected by a wire 29 tothe binding post 24; A rheostat 30, as shown in Fig. 2, is included in the wire-29 andserves both as a switch and as a means for supplying various amounts of current from the generator 27 to the coil 22. In some instances, for example where gasolene or any readily volatile liquid fluld is used, I may 'merelyinclude a switch 31 inthe electric circuit as shown in Fig. 1 and inthis instance a; less powerful electric gen erato'r 27 can be employed.

run into the'c'ontainer 20 and iill'the same;

lVhen electric current is passed through the coil 22 the latter will be heated and the liquid fuel within the container will be vaporized nd changed into gas, and said gas will pass'upwardly through the nipple 21- and tube 7 into-the intake manifold 9. Thus even though the engine and its connected parts are cold, I'a'm'e'nabled to supply a rich "mixture of gasjto the engine merely by turning-on the curr'ent to hea't'the coil 22.

While in actual practice I have found that the device is of great value in-initially starting-a cold'engine I have also found that it is equally valuable durin'gthe normal operation of an en ine since it provides'a constant and rich supply of 'gas'to the engine.

Also any "water "which ordinarily would collect in the chamber ti flowsinto the conv tainer'20and vaporizes with the fuel providing a mixture which is readily combustible and when my device is'inuse upona carbureter'it is unnecessary to draw any water therefrom and a' t the same timeavoids any'improp'er operation of the engine which might otherwiseocc'ur if water is permitted to collect in the carburetor as above noted.

By positioning thet'ube 7 directly over the nipple 21 so that the fuel vaporized withinthe container will pass directly upward through the tube insteadof being compelled to pass through the entire body of liquid fuel within the chamber 6 the gas which is vaporized is prevented from being mixed with or condensed by the-body of liquid fuel Within the chamber 6. In otherwords, with the construction illustrated, the fuel which is vaporized or changed into a gas state will pass directly into the space above the level of the liquid fuel in the chamber 6 from where it willbe' taken into the manifold. I have illustrated the lower end of the tube 7 spaced a short distance above the bottom of the chamber 6 in order to provide liquid fuel into the container. l-Iowever, the. small bubbles of gas which are vaporized will pass through the small body of liquid fuel between the lower end of the tube and the'bottom'of the chamber 6 without being condensed or without mixing with the liquid fuel for the reason that the gas bubbles will pass'directly upward in a vertical direction from the nipple into thetube 7 and will not remain in the body of liquid long enough for the liquid to condense them. 7

While I have described my inventionas taking a particular form, it will be understood that the variousparts of my inventionmay be changed without departingfrom the spirit thereof,'and hence I do not limit myself to the recise constructionset forth,

' but-consider t at I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is r '1. The combination with areceptacle providing a chamber for liquid fuel and having a gas takeoff passage, of means for heating said liquid fuel at a position below thelevel thereofwhereby gas is produced; and means of comparatively small cross section for conducting said gas into said take-0d passage so that the gas will be kept out of contact with the major portion of said liquid fuel substantially as described.

2. The combination with a receptacle providinga chamber for liquid fuel and having a gas take-off passage communicating with the space above the level of liquid fuel within said chamber, of means for heating said liquid fuel at a position below the level thereof whereby gas is produced; and a tube within said chamber for conducting said gas into saidspace so that the gas will be kept free from contact with the major portion of the liquid fuel during the movement of the gas toward said space; substantially as described.

3. The combination with a receptacleproviding a chamber for liquid fuel and having a 1 gas take-off passage communicating with thesp'ace abovethe' level of liquid fuel within said chamber,of container adj oiningthe bottom of said ch'a'mber; and communicating therewith whereby liquid fuel will pass from said chamber into said container; means for heating the liquid fuel within said container to produce gas; and means positioned directly above the communicating portion of said container for conducting said gas up- Wardly to said space so that said gas will be kept free from contact with the major portion of the liquid fuel within said chamber during the movement of the gas toward said space; substantially as described.

4. The combination of a carburcter having a fuel chamber provided with a hole; a nipple connected to said carbureter through the medium of said hole; a container connected to said nipple and having a ledge; a wire extending through said container and having one end compressed between said nipple and said ledge; a binding post extending into said container and insulated therefrom said wire having a portion con nected to said binding post; and means connected to said container and binding post and including an electric generator whereby current is supplied to said Wire; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE AUSTIN BAKER.

Witnesses:

ANNA BENTON, CHAS. E. Powers. 

